“Remember, Signora. If I hear anything about you getting involved in more killings…”
“No, master! I swear I will follow what you told me! With this artifact, you can contact me anytime you want.”
The red-masked Velvet Signora handed a precious contacting artifact to Zeke before grouping all the subordinates who had heard her summon.
The grotto was dominated by a brief bout of silence as the confused silver-robed cultists stood at a corner and watched in silence.
“You can go now. Keep me updated.”
“Yes, Master.”
She deeply bowed before leaving along with everyone else. Meanwhile, Zeke sat down and sighed in exasperation.
The Ascetic Blasphemers were his mortal enemies, but the main objective was catching Red Mask Fanti Fan, possibly the only person who would know what Zeke was looking for.
‘If it means consorting with the devil, then I won’t mind. Sacrifices have to be made… there’s no room for morality anymore.’
Silya Hext was saved, however, all the other soldiers were brutally killed. Even if he wanted to explain, there was no way the Witches would let Signora or the rest go freely.
They were twisted deviants that deserved a tragic end, and even Zeke knew that.
“No matter the cost.”
The youth pressed his hand against his chest, his eyes chilling cold as he muttered,
“I will get it back. My heart.”
…
A fair distance away from the grotto, Signora was speeding away with her robbed subordinates only for a bright dark green light to shoot at them from the distance.
Signora immediately invoked her ability and surrounded herself in a protective light, which defended against the arrival’s destructive blast.
The other cultists, unfortunately for them, were caught up by the attack and pulverized into nothingness.
The red-masked Velvet swept her blue across the short and auburn-haired witch blocking her way.
“So it was one of the Red Masks.”
Jennifer Savbra glared at Velvet as a translucent bow made of the same dark green energy appeared in her arms.
Just as the 5-star commander was about to fire an arrow, an agile black shadow leapt at Signora’s rear, aiming to finish her off.
Alas, it was their misfortune that Signora had just got an unexpected and quite significant power-up thanks to becoming the Seat of Death.
In addition to her already strong ability, she was blessed with another, one which was in direct relation to what she quickly came to fear with all her being.
A sinister black fog burst from the Death Mark on her hand, transforming into a tall and slim wraith-like silhouette.
Like a puppet, the wraith was controlling Signora using illusory thin threads.
Devastating arrows flew straight at the red-masked woman, who half-turned her body and raised her leg, deflecting the arrows before unleashing dozens of beams at the nimble Katrina and the immovable Jennifer.
“I don’t want to fight you people.” Declared Signora as the wraith screeched like a banshee, pushing the other two to the back.
“You’re not getting away!”
With a dangerously cold look, Jennifer changed the bow into a lance as she kicked the ground and descended upon Signora.
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
The wraith moved its ‘puppet’, but due to a timely and strong sword attack from Katrina, it was momentarily stopped, allowing Jennnifer’s glowing lance to pierce through Signora’s defense and clash with her blinding white ability.
A deafening shock wave ensued thereafter, pushing the Witch and Velvet.
Signora made use of the gained momentum to run away, and though Jennifer was about to give chase, she suddenly stopped when she saw Commander Hext.
“Hext!”
Katrina, on the other hand, was like a rabid dog, crazily chasing after the masked woman while swinging her twin blades.
Sadly, thanks to the wraith, which considerably increased Signora’s physical capabilities, the chase barely lasted for a minute before the target disappeared from view.
“I-I’m fine, Jenny.”
Using her small frame, Jennifer supported her friend and checked her body. Hext was still tired due to the fatal injuries inflicted by Signora, nevertheless, Zeke’s Elixir and the bit of rest she was afforded had allowed her to leave the grotto to look for help.
Although she wanted to help Zeke and get him out of danger, Silya didn’t want to act recklessly and ruin things. From her perspective, the youth clearly seemed to have a plan and trying to make a difference with what little strength she had left would only complicate things, if not make them worse for both her and him.
While controlling her rapid breathing, Hext pointed to the way she had come from and said,
“There’s a boy there. He helped me.”
“A boy?”
Jennifer frowned and looked at Katrina, who returned to their side and was frantically looking for Zeke.
“It must be your quarry, agent Katrina.”
The stone-faced and bespectacled Katrina solemnly nodded then shot off into the distance.
“Don’t worry about me. I’m fine. Go help her… please.”
After a slight hesitation, Jennifer nodded her head and chased after Katrina.
It took them only a couple of minutes to reach the entrance of the grotto, which reeked of blood.
However, even after entering and carefully looking around, neither of the two women found any traces of Zeke. With the exception of signs of battle and blood splattered on the cold ground, there was literally nothing and no one there.
“He wasn’t with that Red Mask and he isn’t here. This Zeke of yours seemed to have left.” Remarked Jennifer, seemingly not that interested in aiding any further.
“So it seems.”
While gritting her teeth and looking down, Katrina nodded then stormed out of the grotto, planning to continue her pursuit.
Zeke was fast, but not as fast as she was, so there was a probability she might catch up to him.
Whatever he was doing here, the fact that there was no corpse and that Signora was clearly leaving, or fleeing, Katrina surmised that Zeke had succeeded and was ready to return.
That meant he needed to regroup with Sulong and the rest.
“But where is that Arbert kid? They told me he went after Zeke…”
…
A couple of kilometers away from the grotto, in an open and grassy valley under the clear blue sky, Arbert was surrounded by several armed agents.
From the way they were dressed, it was clear they were part of the Department of Defense.
The red-haired Arbert had an unusually chilling expression as he gloomily looked at the man leading the agents.
“We’re here looking for Zeke Orland… and you. We advise you to not resist and kindly come with us.”
“Why are you after us? What did we do?”
The man, tall and well-fit, scratched his bushy beard and shrugged in disinterest.
“I was only ordered to take you both home. Since they went to such lengths, the two of you must’ve committed a heinous crime. I don’t know… my position isn’t enough for me to learn everything. Now…”
The man motioned for his subordinates as he lifted his modified magical rifle and pointed it at the teenager.
“Let’s not make things ugly. As long as you cooperate, I promise we will not hurt you.”
“Zeke hasn’t done anything wrong. As for me… I..I…”
With a conflicted expression, Arbert raised his hands in surrender while suggesting,
“I will come with you if you stop going after Zeke. Those are my terms.”
“Sorry, kid, but that’s not a viable option.”
A curtain of blood surged from the ground then wrapped around the youth, alarming the agents.
“Out of the 12 of you, I am certain I can take down 8 if I go all-out. Will you be willing to take that chance, mister?”
“...”
The bearded agent stared at the resolute youth before letting out a helpless sigh and lowering his weapon.
“Considering we’re in enemy territory and you’re a big prize as well. I am willing to… postpone the hunt for Zeke Orland until we get you back. That’s the most I could do.”
From the way the curtain of blood was still present and getting bigger, it was clear that Arbert wasn’t satisfied.
“Look, I’m not the one making the calls, okay? This is a pretty serious-”
Before he could finish, maniacal laughter reverberated across the valley as an invisible person exited his Stealth and rapidly spun around while swinging his twin crystalline sickles.
The agents reacted relatively fast, but that ambush had taken down two of them.
Just like that, a fight ensued as the unknown assailant started facing against the combined efforts of the agents and Arbert, who, instead of fleeing, saw it fit to assist.
What neither didn’t know, however, was that the unrecognizable man was equipped with strength beyond their capabilities.
The Vyrsan household had only sent one person after Zeke, and this was their man…